1. Texas State Organization Legislation Committee

2. Legislative Purposes: To initiate, endorse, and support desirable legislation or other suitable endeavors in the interest of education and of women educators To inform the members of current economic, social, political and educational issues so that they may participate effectively in a world society

3. Suggestions for Programs: Invite your legislator to a meeting during the time the legislature is NOT in session Invite your State Board of Education member to be a guest speaker at a chapter meeting Contact your U.S. Congressman to share input regarding Alpha State’s Legislative priorities. Ask a School Board member to attend a chapter meeting.

4. When Planning Programs to Share with Your Chapter, Work With: Program Committee Music Committee Research Committee Yearbook Committee Professional Affairs Committee Personal Growth and Services Committee

5. Keep in Mind: The society cannot endorse a candidate or spend money for a candidate’s campaign. The society cannot initiate, endorse, or support legislation unless it relates to the improvement of education or the status of educators.

6. Participate in political forums and rallies: DKG Chapter and Area meetings DKG State Conventions Texas Political Forum National Political Forum

7. Questions For Each Action We Support Or Do Not Support

8. Questions For Exploration

9. Remain Informed! Inform Your Chapter To Locate Mobile numbers of legislators: WWW.USA.gov Capital Guides League of Women Voters of Texas Education Fund 1212 Guadalupe St. # 107 Austin, TX 78701 512-472-1100 lwvtexas@lwvtexas.org www.lwvtexas.org

10. Online Legislative Alerts and Updates Dr. Angela O. Bedenbaugh Usforuminfo@usm.edu Texas Legislative Online www.capitol.state.tx.us Texas Education Agency http://www.tea.state.tx.us/ The Education Advocate Online http://www.nea.org/lac/ Children’s Defense Fund Update List http://www.childrensdefense.org House Education and the Workforce Committee http://www.house.gov/eco Senate Health, Education, Labor and Pensions Committee http://www.senate.gov/labor editor@politicsol.com (PoliticsOL.com Editor) American Society for Curriculum and Development ascd@smartbrief.com (ASCD SmartBrief) Usforuminfo@usm.eduwww.capitol.state.tx.ushttp://www.tea.state.tx.us/http://www.nea.org/lac/ http://www.childrensdefense.org http://www.house.gov/eco http://www.senate.gov/labor editor@politicsol.com ascd@smartbrief.com

11. Collaborate with other professional organizations (these organizations also provide legislative alerts): TCTA (Texas Classroom Teachers Association) http://tcta.org TEPSA (Texas Elementary Principals and Supervisors Association) www.tepsa.org ATPE (Association of Texas Professional Educators) 305 E. Huntland Dr. Suite 300 Austin, TX 78752-3792 www.atpe.org TSTA (Texas State Teachers Association) http://tsta.org Texas Retired Teachers Association http://trta.org Contact college and university political science departments http://tcta.org www.tepsa.org www.atpe.org http://tsta.org http://trta.org

12. Electronic Contact -Websites: White House http://www.whitehouse.gov/contact Senators http://www.senate.gov/general/contact_information/senators_cfm.cfm Representatives http://www.house.gov/ Governor http://www.governor.state.tx.us/contact/ Congress http://www.congress.org Elected officials http://www.USA.gov/Contact/Elected.shtml -Tweet a message to your representative http://2gov.org/ http://twitter.com/USAgov -Blog http://blog.usa.gov/roller/ - Facebook of legislators www.facebook.com/USAgov - Youtube http://www.youtube.com/USGovernmenthttp://www.whitehouse.gov/contact http://www.senate.gov/general/contact_information/senators_cfm.cfmhttp://www.house.gov/http://www.governor.state.tx.us/contact/http://www.congress.orghttp://www.USA.gov/Contact/Elected.shtmlhttp://2gov.org/http://twitter.com/USAgovhttp://blog.usa.gov/roller/www.facebook.com/USAgovhttp://www.youtube.com/USGovernment

13. Web Sites for Texans: Texas Legislature On Line www.capitol.state.tx.us Texas Legislative Council www.tlc.state.tx.us Texas State Board of Education ww.tea.state.tx.us/sboe The Delta Kappa Gamma Society International www.deltakappagamma.org Alpha State www.alphastatetexas.org

14. Communicating with Policy Makers 1. Office Visits 2. Telephone Calls and E-Mails 3. Writing Letters

15. Communicating with Policy Makers 1. Office Visits: Personal visits, alone or in a small group, are the most effective way to communicate with policy makers. Schedule an appointment and indicate who will be present. Draft an agenda, list issues to be discussed and decide who will speak. Provide a written one-page summary of your position on each issue to be discussed. Arrive on time and leave on time. Be open to, and ready for questions. If you do not know the answer, provide an answer later. Ask for the lawmaker’s support of your issues. Thank them for his/her time.

16. Communicating with Policy Makers 2. Telephone Calls and E-Mails These methods are effective, especially when timing is critical and a policymaker’s support or vote is needed immediately. State your name and place of residence. Ask to speak to the lawmaker or aide. Identify the issue or specific bill. Give bill number and name, if possible. Explain briefly why the bill is important in your district. State your position. Ask the legislator for support, or to vote against the bill.

17. Communicating with Policy Makers 3. Writing Letters Letters not only alert policymakers to your views, but they also help educate legislators about issues. Use when time is not critical. Write by hand or type in your own words. Do not use form letters. Be brief and to the point; limit your writing to one page. Identify the issue clearly. State how the issue will effect the legislator’s constituents. Be informed and accurate. State your position. State the position of Delta Kappa Gamma members in Texas, if you know the position. Ask for the legislator’s support.

18. All elected officials should be addressed as: The honorable (name). The House of Representatives P.O. Box 2910 Austin, TX 76768-2910 Texas Senators P.O. Box 12068 Austin, TX 78711 Governor’s Office P.O. Box 12328 Austin, TX 78711 After action has been taken, follow up by communicating your appreciation and/or disappointment.

19. U.S. Senators From Texas Sen. Kay B. Hutchison (202) 224-5922 Effective 1/20/13 we will have a new Senator Sen. John Cornyn (202) 224-2934 U.S. House of Representative Name: ______(for your district)___________

20. Communicating with Policy Makers Do’s and Don’t’s Meetings Letters Phone Calls Keeping in Touch Visiting Elected Officials

21. Dates of Interest: Sept. 7First Day to Apply for Ballot by Mail Oct. 9Last Day to Register to Vote Oct. 22 First Day of Early Voting Oct. 30Last Day to Apply for Ballot by mail (Received, not postmarked) Nov. 2Last Day of Early Voting Nov. 6, 2012Election Day Jan. 8, 201383rd Legislature Convenes at noon May 27,2013Last Day of 82nd Legislature regular session Oct 24, 2012 Texas Conference for Women Austin, TX Conv. Ctr. Nov. 14-17, 2013 State Board of Education Meeting

22. TSO Capitol Rally Date to be announced Late February, Early March

23. Alpha State Legislation Committee Committee Chairman: Suzanne Bathe, Lambda Gamma, Area 18 Committee Members: Laura SchmidtKappa Pi, Area 1 Pat Brashear Zeta Rho, Area 5 Betty PeeblesKappa Pi, Area 2 Latrese LytleLambda Mu, Area 13 Ruthie Estes Delta Mu, Area 3 Janie WigleyGamma Eta, Area 12 Carolyn Grantham Mu Kappa, Area 15 Rexena “Celina” Walden Iota Eta, Area 11 Charlotte NymanAlpha Pi, Area 17 Marilyn LeasureBeta Gamma, Area 16 Anne ButcherKappa Psi, Area 9 Bobbi DuncanTheta Mu, Area 14 Wynonna LipsettTau, Area 8 Ann HunterAlpha Chi, Area 7 Emma Jean Tanner Eta Omega, Area 4 Mary Jo RiojasKappa Delta, Area 10 Joanne Davis, ex officio Beta Zeta, Area 6

24. The Delta Kappa Gamma Society International